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Post by astrokath on Nov 27, 2008 20:15:23 GMT 10
I should have mentioned that I listen to this album regularly - I ride the stationary bike 2-3 times a week and listen to my 'Damien' file on my music thingie (more than an iPod).
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Post by Smiley on Nov 29, 2008 7:26:56 GMT 10
Well I've always thought of it as a cover, because it's still someone else's song, even though it hasn't been released. I guess rendition works, but I think of rendition and cover as the same thing. Recording a song written by someone else doesn't make it a cover. If that was the case you'd find a large percentage of popular recordings would be called covers. A cover is a recording of a song that was first recorded or made popular by somebody else. Some even say it's only a cover if it's released very soon after the first recorded version is released. A practise that was common in the fifties & sixties, trying to cash in on the popularity of a song. Otherwise it's just another version. The whole idea of singers having to write their own songs is a relatively new thing and is real snobbery as far as I can see. To the point that big artists get song writing credits when they've not contributed in any way to the songwriting/arrangement. If the truth was known about who & how often this happens I think it'd blow the lid off the whole thing & everyone would get over it. The thought that a singer with an incredible voice is less credible if they don't write their own song is a joke. Are great songwriters who can't sing treated the same way? Really it's just a case of on original version if it's never been released before or another version if it has. /rant  Braffy, that happened to me about a month ago. I was out late night shopping with Dale and the kids and I took Holly to the bathroom and 22 Steps came on while she was on the err....toilet.....and she was yelling out "IT'S DAMIEN" so loud that Dale could hear her outside where he was waiting!  That is so cute! ;D ...you know I've wanted to do that...well not while on the toilet  but walking through shopping centres and hearing Damien come on..."hey everybody- that's Damien!!!" If only we had the freedom of children!! And...on topic...I love I Still Miss Us- I wish Damien had released it as a single ...ditto for Alone...I just love these songs. |
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Post by winterlong on Nov 29, 2008 10:00:57 GMT 10
22 Steps was released on Andy Stochansky's 2002 album 'Five Star Motel'.
Version, rendition, whatever - it was recorded and released commercially previous to Where We Land, therefore Damien 'covered' it.
Interesting to note that according to iTunes, Andy is not credited with writing his version of 22 Steps - Ian LeFeuvre is. iTunes then goes on to state that Andy and Ian wrote D's version.
Even if Andy did not write the original version, if he recorded and released it first he did not cover it (as Smiley pointed out!). But I wouldn't rely on the interwebs for accuracy!
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Post by Smiley on Nov 29, 2008 11:52:33 GMT 10
22 Steps was released on Andy Stochansky's 2002 album 'Five Star Motel'. Version, rendition, whatever - it was recorded and released commercially previous to Where We Land, therefore Damien 'covered' it. Interesting to note that according to iTunes, Andy is not credited with writing his version of 22 Steps - Ian LeFeuvre is. iTunes then goes on to state that Andy and Ian wrote D's version. Even if Andy did not write the original version, if he recorded and released it first he did not cover it (as Smiley pointed out!). But I wouldn't rely on the interwebs for accuracy! Interesting...actually on allmusic.com it has Ian LeFeuvre then Andy as the writers of the song for both Andy's & Damien's versions. Andy's album Five Star Hotel wasn't released in Australia (? I'm guessing) and 22 Steps wasn't released as a single anywhere (that I can see) and I really wonder that if the song has never been heard before (except if you lived in US/Canada and then only if you bought the album) then it would be hard to call it a "cover", wouldn't it? Hee hee so I'm not calling it a cover...it's just Damien's release of a song written by someone else. |
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Post by Trilly on Nov 29, 2008 12:19:16 GMT 10
Smiley said: The whole idea of singers having to write their own songs is a relatively new thing and is real snobbery as far as I can see. To the point that big artists get song writing credits when they've not contributed in any way to the songwriting/arrangement. If the truth was known about who & how often this happens I think it'd blow the lid off the whole thing & everyone would get over it.
The thought that a singer with an incredible voice is less credible if they don't write their own song is a joke. Are great songwriters who can't sing treated the same way? That may be true, to a degree,(however, if that really is the case, isn't that fraud? and there are laws against that..and consquences?) but surely the point in any discussion about Damien in regard to originals is that he wishes to be known as a singer/songwriter, not just a singer. Damien is an all-round musician, not just a singer of other people's music. I suppose modern music has changed since the days when people neither knew nor cared if the singer had written their own material. Many still don't, agreed, and that is fine too. However, artists who are also accomplished musicians in their own right have been majorly respected by the discerning music buyer probably from around Buddy Holly's day. They have produced some of the best music written in modern times. I could produce a list, but that would be tedious.  It's also true that great songwriters who don't perform their own material aren't criticised for it, but how many of them are household names? |
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Post by Smiley on Nov 29, 2008 13:10:15 GMT 10
Actually I have not written any of this about Damien in particular - I have been responding to the whole question of what's a "cover". Damien has sung and does sing other people's songs so it's in that context that I refer to him. It's not done without permission- however big names have big power- there's plenty on the topic if you google it. but why do people care? this is where the snobbery comes in IMO. I am not taking anything away from great singer/songwriters..they should be applauded for their talent...but I also don't take anything away from great singers singing songs by great songwriters either. Okay this is a chicken or egg situation...if no-one knows who these great songwriters are then why does it matter who writes the songs?  ...deeeep..... ...and I think it would be very interesting to hear what the great unknown songwriters think about it all. If songwriting was truly such an important part of it all then the songwriters (who don't sing) would be hailed as equally as the performers. Sorry ...we are way off topic here... I absolutely LOVE Damien's original music on WHERE WE LAND-  Beautiful, Alone, I Still Miss Us, Cold Cold Heart, Shine Like The Sun, Not Just For the Weekend, The Long Way Back, Blew It All Away....and cannot wait til his new album comes out  |
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Post by winterlong on Nov 29, 2008 14:35:01 GMT 10
22 Steps was released on Andy Stochansky's 2002 album 'Five Star Motel'. Version, rendition, whatever - it was recorded and released commercially previous to Where We Land, therefore Damien 'covered' it. Interesting to note that according to iTunes, Andy is not credited with writing his version of 22 Steps - Ian LeFeuvre is. iTunes then goes on to state that Andy and Ian wrote D's version. Even if Andy did not write the original version, if he recorded and released it first he did not cover it (as Smiley pointed out!). But I wouldn't rely on the interwebs for accuracy! Interesting...actually on allmusic.com it has Ian LeFeuvre then Andy as the writers of the song for both Andy's & Damien's versions. Andy's album Five Star Hotel wasn't released in Australia (? I'm guessing) and 22 Steps wasn't released as a single anywhere (that I can see) and I really wonder that if the song has never been heard before (except if you lived in US/Canada and then only if you bought the album) then it would be hard to call it a "cover", wouldn't it? Hee hee so I'm not calling it a cover...it's just Damien's release of a song written by someone else. Well, you can buy it on the Australian iTunes, so technically its released here  I dont think a song has to be particularly well known for someone to 'cover' it! from Wikipedia (I know, a reliable source :  : AskOxford.com: Cover. Its not a dirty word. |
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Post by Trilly on Nov 29, 2008 14:43:20 GMT 10
but surely the point in any discussion about Damien in regard to originals is that he wishes to be known as a singer/songwriter, not just a singer. Damien is an all-round musician, not just a singer of other people's music. Actually I have not written any of this about Damien in particular - I have been responding to the whole question of what's a "cover". Damien has sung and does sing other people's songs so it's in that context that I refer to him. It's not done without permission- however big names have big power- there's plenty on the topic if you google it. Yes, he has. However, it occurs to me that every song (apart from the trad DB) D has covered was written by a singer/songwriter. Surely that must say something about the type of music and artist he admires.but why do people care? this is where the snobbery comes in IMO. I am not taking anything away from great singer/songwriters..they should be applauded for their talent...but I also don't take anything away from great singers singing songs by great songwriters either. Neither do I. Elvis, for one, never wrote a song in his life. However, I have more admiration for those able to create, not just interpret. I don't think that's snobbery, I think it's appreciation. A singer performing their own material gives the song and performance an emotional veracity that only the very best covers artists can emulate, IMO. D being one of them. Just watch Idol to hear my point in action.
[ It's also true that great songwriters who don't perform their own material aren't criticised for it, but how many of them are household names?[/quote] Okay this is a chicken or egg situation...if no-one knows who these great songwriters are then why does it matter who writes the songs? ...deeeep..... ..and I think it would be very interesting to hear what the great unknown songwriters think about it all. If songwriting was truly such an important part of it all then the songwriters (who don't sing) would be hailed as equally as the performers. They are, by other musicians and those who bother to check the authors of cover artists material. To me, that's half the point. That doesn't stop me enjoying a geat cover, don't misundertand me. I simply have more respect for the musicianship of those who write great music as well.Sorry ...we are way off topic here...
Apologies to the Off Topic Fairy I absolutely LOVE Damien's original music on WHERE WE LAND- Beautiful, Alone, I Still Miss Us, Cold Cold Heart, Shine Like The Sun, Not Just For the Weekend, The Long Way Back, Blew It All Away....and cannot wait til his new album comes out D's originals resonate with me too. They get under my skin..I can't WAIT for his next album either!!! ;D |
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Post by Smiley on Apr 15, 2009 13:52:36 GMT 10
I have been listening to Alone so much lately..god I love this song!
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Post by Nuffy on Jul 14, 2009 1:23:32 GMT 10
"Where We Land" is Damien Leith's first album of his original compositions... ;D Gee, that statement makes me so excited because it reminds me that his second album of original songs comes out around August.  It's been a little while since I've listened to the whole WWL album and not as a mixed playlist...  but I started again and I fell in love again with them - hearing Beautiful, Alone, Blew it All Away, Shine Like the Sun, Long Way Back, All I Want Is You and Cold Cold Heart from the album. It's awesome how Damien can change the mood of a song during the live performances. |
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Post by nixter on Jul 14, 2009 16:53:34 GMT 10
WWL is a beautiful album I listen to it often it is my favourite.
As for artists singing covers not everyone has the ability to write songs.
It would leave opera singers a bit short of material if they can't sing covers.
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Post by thebraff (Braffy) on Jul 15, 2009 0:02:46 GMT 10
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Post by princess1 on Jul 15, 2009 17:01:50 GMT 10
I wonder if thats the reason drivers speed away from me too, cos I do the same
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Post by Glawz on Aug 3, 2009 20:53:37 GMT 10
I'm with you Braffy and Princess1. I have Damien's three CD's in the car... the only ones permanently in my player and they just play over and over... I never get sick of them. Sometimes I even press the re-wind button and listen to some songs over again even though I've heard them 2 c'd's ago! If I have to say I have favourites they would be "Beautiful", "Sky", "Alone" and I love the covers of Longer and Time in a bottle, Hallelujah, Waiting on an Angel, Message to my Girl - Damien is so fantastic I have so say all the songs are my favourites. Just adore all the originals and waiting anxiously for the new album, then I'll have four to play in the car!
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Post by erinbella on Nov 9, 2011 13:15:51 GMT 10
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but walking through shopping centres and hearing Damien come on..."hey everybody- that's Damien!!!" If only we had the freedom of children!! 
aka @just_Leithal on Twitter 
...deeeep.....
:
I pity the other drivers on the road. they all speed up to get away from me. 
